Vice President of the Ekaterina Inozemtseva Charitable Foundation E.M. Inozemtseva¹
Dr.Med., Professor V.A. Isanova²
Rehabilitologist, physical therapist E.S. Vorobyova¹
PhD, Associate Professor A.V. Kornev^3
1Charitable Foundation named after Ekaterina Inozemtseva, Moscow
²Kazan State Medical University, Kazan
³Russian State Social University, Moscow

Corresponding author: av-kornev@mail.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to test benefits of a new aerial gymnastics (wind tube) project for physical rehabilitation and social adaptation of cerebral-palsy-diagnosed children.

Methods and structure of the study. Aerodynamic gymnastics may be defined as the wind tunnel application method for physical training of the cerebral-palsy-diagnosed children conditional on sensitive customizing to the individual health conditions and progress needs by varied wind speeds, flows and training intensities. Special physical practices in wind tunnel are known to help relieve muscle tension, build up physical endurance, stretch muscles, mitigate muscle spasms and cramps, train strength, movement coordination and spatial orientation skills.

We summarized practical experience of the cerebral-palsy-diagnosed children’s physical activating aerodynamic gymnastics practices in the Fly Station wind tunnel in Saint Petersburg and Miass (Chelyabinsk Oblast) cities to develop a new aerodynamic gymnastics model complementary to the standard adaptive physical education service under the interregional Fly With Me Project for the underage cerebral-palsy-diagnosed groups. The Project facilitates the joint efforts of experts and families to improve the life quality of the children with cerebral palsy in four pilot cities of the Russian Federation (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Chelyabinsk and Ulyanovsk) where we sampled for the aerodynamic gymnastics model piloting experiment the local 5-14 year-old cerebral-palsy-diagnosed children (n=120).

The sample is being tested in the Project by the medical, psychological and pedagogical diagnostics interdisciplinary expert team including a neurologist, rehabilitation therapist, psychologist and an adaptive physical education instructor.

The aerodynamic gymnastics service in the project was individualized for the actual needs in physical practices for the key muscle groups within the regular adaptive physical education service and based on the mental/ physical health rates and current recommendations from the attending neurologist.

Results and conclusion. Our practical experience of the aerodynamic gymnastics service complementary to the standard adaptive physical education methods showed the long-term aerodynamic gymnastics service being beneficial for the cerebral-palsy-diagnosed children’s mental and physical health to facilitate their progress in every aspect including social adaptation.

Keywords: aerodynamic gymnastics, muscle tone normalization, increase in joint mobility.

Background. For the last few decades, many nations, including Russia, have reported growth in the cerebral palsy incidence rates [1, 3, 4]. Modern cerebral palsy therapy offers a wide variety of comprehensive high-quality physical rehabilitation methods and tools that should be prudently selected, designed and customized for success, with the aerodynamic gymnastics toolkit rapidly winning popularity as complementary to the traditional adaptive physical education service in Europe and the world over (Brussels, France, Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, USA, etc.) [2].

Objective of the study was to test benefits of a new aerial gymnastics (wind tube) project for physical rehabilitation and social adaptation of cerebral-palsy-diagnosed children.

Methods and structure of the study. Aerodynamic gymnastics may be defined as the wind tunnel application method for physical training of the cerebral-palsy-diagnosed children conditional on sensitive customizing for the individual health conditions and progress needs by varied wind speeds, flows and training intensities. Special physical practices in wind tunnel are known to help relieve muscle tension, build up physical endurance, stretch muscles, mitigate muscle spasms and cramps, train strength, movement coordination and spatial orientation skills.

We summarized practical experience of the cerebral-palsy-diagnosed children’s physical activating aerodynamic gymnastics practices in the Fly Station wind tunnel in Saint Petersburg and Miass (Chelyabinsk Oblast) cities to develop a new aerodynamic gymnastics model complementary to the standard adaptive physical education service under the interregional Fly With Me Project for the underage cerebral-palsy-diagnosed groups. The Project facilitates the joint efforts of experts and families to improve the life quality of the children with cerebral palsy in four pilot cities of the Russian Federation (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Chelyabinsk and Ulyanovsk) where we sampled for the aerodynamic gymnastics model piloting experiment the local 5-14 year-old cerebral-palsy-diagnosed children (n=120).

The sample is being tested in the Project by the medical, psychological and pedagogical diagnostics interdisciplinary expert team including a neurologist, rehabilitation therapist, psychologist and an adaptive physical education instructor. The tests are designed to produce a range of mental and physical health rates, individualize the aerodynamic gymnastics service and monitor progress of every child in the Project. The children were sampled conditional on the prior expert ‘no contraindication’ findings, with every qualifier documented by a diagnostic card, anthropometric data list for the equipment and outfits individualizing purposes; pre-flight health card with the psychologist’s recommendations; and a family-kept diary of the child’s health.

The tests are supported by a diagnostic/ consulting day service to the parents/ guardians documented in the above mental and physical health and progress test file. The aerodynamic gymnastics service in the project was individualized for the actual needs in physical practices for the key muscle groups within the regular adaptive physical education service and based on the mental/ physical health rates and current recommendations from the attending neurologist. The adaptive physical education sessions are run twice a week and followed by the aerodynamic gymnastics practices to make every child mentally and physically fit for the aerodynamic gymnastics.

Results and discussion. The aerodynamic gymnastics project objective is to facilitate the mental and physical health progress of the sample by the synergized rehabilitation service under control of health specialists who set individualized progress goals to normalize muscle tone, improve motor skills and joint mobility, build up strength and strength endurance in the key muscle groups, and prevent/ mitigate the muscle spasticity. The adaptive physical education service is designed for the neuromuscular processes activation to:

1. Stimulate cerebellar function by the postural control/ BMC fixing practices geared to improve the equilibrium, stability, etc.;

2. Activate the key analyzer systems: visual analyzer with the oculomotor muscle strength exercises; auditory analyzer, etc.;

3. Mobilize the core body segments – to improve the thoracic/ shoulder blade mobility; vestibular-cervical reflexes; limb control; feet functionality to contribute to the postural control, etc.;

4. Develop specific physical qualities, muscle groups and skills – strength, endurance, coordination, postural control muscles, motor dexterity; throwing, dropping, rolling, pushing skills etc.;

5. Activate the key neurological functional patterns including the breathing and diaphragm afferenting ones; improve the receptor sensitivity; body mapping and control skills with the relevant proprioceptive sensations, etc.; and

 6. Improve respiratory system health by strengthening the respiratory muscles; activate the intercostal muscles; and establish healthy breathing patterns.

In the aerodynamic gymnastics practices, the air flow makes it easier for the child to control the body, master and excel the key motor skills to facilitate their consolidation by the further standard adaptive physical education trainings. The wind tunnel practices are also beneficial due to the positive emotions they generate. The flying feelings make the child happy being carried into a bright palette of emotions that facilitate the mental and physical health improvement process. Aerodynamic gymnastics is known to speed up the rehabilitation and social adaptation processes and make the physical trainings more effective.

Based on the individual anthropometric characteristics, every child is dressed and equipped for the wind tube flight, with the gear including a closed helmet, buff scarf, overalls with grips, shoes with a flat sole, and earplugs – under control of the interdisciplinary team of health experts working in close cooperation with the wind tube operators and instructors. Every instructor is certified by the RSSU for operation of wind tunnels and aerodynamic gymnastics service within the standard adaptive physical education service package.

Benefits of the aerodynamic gymnastics service complementary to the standard adaptive physical education are tested by the stabilometry (balance plate) tests; walking quality video analyses; trunk control motor skills tests on the GMFCS scale; hand functionality tests recommended by the MACS; postural control tests using the SATco method; Hare/ Hallet sitting postural control tests; Reimers indices; muscular system tone tests; muscle spasticity tests using the Ashworth Scale (MMAS); and goniometry tests.

Conclusion. Our practical experience of the aerodynamic gymnastics service complementary to the standard adaptive physical education methods showed the long-term aerodynamic gymnastics service being beneficial for the cerebral-palsy-diagnosed children’s mental and physical health to facilitate their progress in every aspect including social adaptation.

References

1. Children's disability [Electronic resource]: Federal Service for State Statistics. Available at: https://rosstat.gov.ru/folder/13964 (date of access: 20.04.2021).
2. Sport is more important [Electronic resource]. Bodyfly wind tunnel. Available at: https://bodyfly.net/blog/sport-vazhnee/ (date of access: 15.04.2021).
3. Federal register of disabled people: for what, to whom and how [Electronic resource]: Federal register of disabled people. Available at: https://pfr.gov.ru/branches/moscow/news~2019/09/03/188601 (date of access: 30.03.2021).
4. Number of disabled people as of 01.04.2021 [Electronic resource]: Federal register of disabled people. Available at: https://sfri.ru/analitika/chislennost/chislennost?territory=undefined (date of access: 20.04.2021).